Model Discrimination in Gravitational Wave spectra from Dark Phase Transitions

Understand

In anticipation of upcoming gravitational wave experiments, we provide a comprehensive overview of the spectra predicted by phase transitions triggered by states from a large variety of dark sector models.

• Such spectra are functions of the quantum numbers and (self-) couplings of the scalar that triggers the dark phase transition.
• We classify dark sectors that give rise to a first order phase transition and perform a numerical scan over the thermal parameter space.
• We then characterize scenarios in which a measurement of a new source of gravitational waves could allow us to discriminate between models with differing particle content.